In the Bazaars of Hyderabad

The city of Hyderabad had a mixed culture of the Hindu and the Islamic. The goods sold by the Bazaar vendors (i.e. the merchants, vendors, maidens, peddlers, goldsmiths, fruit-men, musicians, and flower-girls) cater to the need of every segment and faith of the society. The poet provides a panoramic view of the colors, sounds, smell, and sights of an Indian Bazaar. She has also used vibrant rhymes to describe the magnificence of the bazaars and also the products sold in the bazaars.

In this poem Sarojini Naidu describes the magnificent things of life along with common scenes in the bazaars of Hyderabad; The poem is set in the form of conversations between customers and vendors. Sarojini Naidu has repeatedly asked questions in every stanza about the different kinds of goods sold in the bazaar.[1] Naidu presents the scene of the music produced by traditional instruments played by the musicians and the chantings of the magicians, the various fruits being sold by the fruit-men, the weighing of saffron, lentils and rice by the vendors, and other depictions of different wares which are sold in the bazaar. The poet has used vibrant rhymes to describe the magnificence of the bazaars and the products sold.[2][3]

Each line of the poem contains a rhythm and a beat, and the sequence of the phrases "What do you" and "O ye" marks the rhyme scheme of the poem. The poetess often repeats these phrases, to create a musical effect, to emphasise a point, and to lend unity to the poem. The conversation form of poem, that is set in the form of question and answer between vendor and buyer, makes the readers feel that they are present in the Bazaar. To present the pictorial scene of the bazaar, Naidu uses rich sensory images and a vibrant sense of touch, sound, smell, sight and taste.[4][5][6][7]

Folklore is one of the central subjects in the poetry of Naidu. In The Bazaars of Hyderabad is associated with one such subject, the charm and enthusiasm of a traditional Indian bazaar in the city of Hyderabad are presented in this poem. Naidu had enthusiastically described the Bazaar with merchants and vendors selling a diverse range of wares. The poet stops over at the galleries arranged by the merchants, traders, hawkers, goldsmiths, fruit sellers, peddlers, magicians, musicians, and flower girls. The poet describes the experience of conversation between the seller and the buyer, here the poet questions the sellers about what they are selling and who in turn answer politely, explaining their products. Emotional moods are stirred by the poet when Naidu makes the readers feel that the bazaar life also witnesses both sorrows and joys. Wedding and festival occasions bring joy in the Bazaar’s life when people buy jewelry, garlands, fruits, and children crowding near the magicians. The sorrow and sadness is witnessed when common public kitchens are arranged when the nobles or soldiers die and when flower girls are seen weaving masses of white flowers to be used for the dead people’s grave.[4][5][6][7]

Another theme in the poem is the Swadeshi movement, though not specifically mentioned in the poem. The poem was written during the Indian independence movement.By this poem Naidu proves that India is rich in tradition and there is no requirement of foreign products. Through the poem, Naidu encourages the Indians to buy goods from their traditional bazaars and she urges the country men to take part in the Swadeshi movement and boycott all foreign goods.[8][9]

The text of the poem is as follows.[10][11][12]

The first paragraph of the poem published in The New York Times on 27 April 1913. The reviewer credited the poem as an "Oriental gem".

Birds market in Hyderabad

In The Bazaars of Hyderabad

What do you sell, O ye merchants?

Richly your wares are displayed.

Turbans of crimson and silver,

Tunics of purple brocade,

Mirrors with panels of Amber,

Daggers with handles of jade.

What do you weigh, O ye vendors?

Saffron, lentil, and rice.

What do you grind, O ye maidens?

Sandalwood, henna, and spice.

What do you call, O ye pedlars?

Chessmen and ivory dice.

What do you make, O ye goldsmiths?

Wristlet and anklet and ring,

Bells for the feet of blue pigeons,

Frail as a dragon - fly's wing,

Girdles of gold for the dancers,

Scabbards of gold for the kings.

What do you cry, O ye Fruitmerchants?

Citron, pomegranate and plum.

What do you play, O ye musicians?

Sitar, Sarangi and drum.

What do you chant, O ye magicians?

Spells for the eons to come.

What do you weave, O ye flower-girls?

With tassels of azure and red?

Crowns for the brow of a bridegroom,

Chaplets to garland his bed,

Sheets of white blossoms new-garnered

To perfume the sleep of the dead.

--Sarojini Naidu--

The poem has been included in the syllabuses of Indian Secondary schools, the Indian Civil Services Examination and in some of the universities of Europe.[13][14][15] Some schools in India organise a skit base play based on the poem to make their people understand the shopping experience in the bazaars, including the Hyderabadi biryani, the traditional ingredients used in the Hyderabadi cuisines, and the jewellery and clothing.[16] Based on the poem, a play titled "Love's Labour" was conducted in Madurai by the students of Sri Meenakshi college for women. The play was different from regular stage plays as it contained model sets of bazaars similar to Hyderabad. The play was organised to promote the literary work of women.[17]

The New York Times review the poem in the edition of 27 April 1913 and wrote that; "To us of a colder, soberer clime the very name of this singer of "the oldest land" brings a suggestion of color and perfume, of strange twilight's, of all the mystery and magic and swift bestowals of life and death that we traditionally associate with India. We are not altogether happy as well sad, for "The time to rue and the time of sew" contains much beautiful verse. "In the Bazaars of Hyderabad" shines like an oriental gem".[9]

• Indian Poetry
• Indian English literature

• Collection of Naidu's poems
• Ebook "The Bird Of Time" at the Internet Archive (with the access to download)
• Dr. P. V. Rajyalakshmi (1977). The Lyric Spring : The Poetic Achievement Of Sarojini Naidu. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 978-81-7017-056-3.